Boise State Receives $12.5 Million Donation from Micron Technology Foundation

The Micron Technology Foundation and Boise State  announced last Friday a $12.5 million gift to help fund a new state-of-the-art building for the College of Business and Economics.

The proposed building will be located at the corner of Capitol Boulevard and University Drive and will serve as a gateway to the university from the west. Current budget projections are for a total project cost of $31 million.

“Boise State University has been a great partner in education, helping Micron and others achieve success through the success of its faculty and students,” said Steve Appleton, Micron chairman, CEO and president. “Boise State is an institution that continues to increase its contributions to the community, the state of Idaho and the nation. We are pleased to participate in the university’s efforts to again reach new levels of excellence.”
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Gore draws 10,000 to
Taco Bell Arena

Former Vice President Al Gore drew a capacity crowd of 10,000 to Taco Bell Arena Monday night as the keynote speaker at a conference on global warming sponsored by the Frank Church Institute at Boise State.

It was Gore's second keynote address at a Frank Church conference. Gore went over his evidence on global climate change, showing slides of glaciers that have receded dramatically in the last 25 years. He told the audience he hoped the problem could be addressed without partisan politics.

Boise State Engineering Student Receives National Honor From U.S. Department of Transportation

Arlen Planting (right) with engineering professor Sin Ming Lu

The U.S. Department of Transportation has named Boise State graduate student Arlen Planting as the 2007 Federal Aviation Administration Air Transportation Centers of Excellence Outstanding Student of the Year. Planting was selected from among students at more than 60 top universities from across the nation. read more

Since its introduction at Boise State nearly 20 years ago, Service-Learning has become a significant part of the academic experience. In 2006, 23 percent of all graduating seniors had participated in at least one Service-Learning course.

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GETTING JAZZED

Tickets for the 2007 Gene Harris Jazz Festival on Sale Now

Tickets for the 2007 Gene Harris Jazz Festival, presented by Boise State, are on sale now. Tickets for the April 4-7 festival may be purchased through the Qwest Arena Box Office, 331-8497, or online at www.qwestarenaidaho.com.

Jazz Festival fans will get the chance this year to become subscribers. This program, which has three subscriber levels, entitles holders to discounts and Gene Harris Jazz Festival gifts. read more

NEXT AT THE FETTUCCINE FORUM

February Fettuccine Forum Features Editorial Cartoonist and Boise Native Michael Luckovich

The February Fettuccine Forum will examine the world of editorial cartoons with a presentation by Atlanta newspaper cartoonist Michael Luckovich (right). The free lecture series is Feb. 1 in the Rose Room in the historic Union Block, 718 W. Idaho Street. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the presentation begins at 5:30 p.m. Free appetizers will be served and fettuccine will be available for $5. read more

EVENTS ON OUR CAMPUS

Writing Project Holds Workshop on Innovative Teaching Techniques

The Boise State Writing Project will host a workshop by national expert Kathleen Yancey on Jan. 30.

The first session of Yancey’s workshop, “Performance Based Assessments that Promote Engagement and Learning,” will take place from 3:30-5:15 p.m. Jan. 30 in the Student Union Lookout Room. Session 2 will run from 6-7:30 p.m. in the same location following a free dinner. Admission is free, and free parking will be available in the lot behind the building.

Yancey, a national expert on assessment and the president of the National Council of Teachers of English, will lead the class in exploring various kinds of naturalistic and performance-based assessments that promote student engagement and learning. Yancey will explain how the assessments can be used to replace or complement less motivating and less powerful forms of assessment often used in schools. read more

Marketplace Host Kai Ryssdal to Speak in Boise Jan. 25

Kai Ryssdal, host of American Public Media's Marketplace and Marketplace Money, will be the featured speaker for the Boise Young Professionals at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25. Kai will be speaking thanks to a partnership with Boise State Radio. read more

Student Programs Board Presents Hypnotist C.J. Johnson Jan. 29

The Student Programs Board will kick off the spring 2007 semester with hypnotist C.J. Johnson at 7 p.m. Jan. 29 in the Student Union Hatch Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public.

Johnson has hypnotized Boise State students in the past and is popular in the college market. In addition to performing at campuses across the United States, he also has been featured on Showtime, CMT, ABC and other nationally televised events. His show blends hilarious antics and audience amazement. read more

PASS THE SALSA

University Dining Services and Tostitos Present ‘Tostitos Week’

Continue to celebrate the Broncos’ win at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with a weeklong celebration.

• Free samples of Tostitos products in the SUB Food Court
• Tostitos featured food station in the Table Rock Café
• Tostitos prizes and giveaways

GET OUT, AND GET BACK IN ONE PIECE

Campus Recreation Outdoor Program Offers Essential Classes for Enthusiasts

Campus Recreation is offering a series of classes that are a must for outdoor enthusiasts: Backcountry Avalanche, Wilderness First Aid, River Safety and Rescue, and a free information session on the Four Rivers Permit Lottery. read more

FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOPS

Human Resource Services has partnered with the Registrar's Office to offer the following free training opportunities. To register, e-mail HRTrainingDevelopment@boisestate.edu or register online at: http://cedar.boisestate.edu/hrs/workshops/.

The complete spring 2007 schedule can also be viewed at http://cedar.boisestate.edu/hrs/workshops/. Be sure to check out the latest course offerings and low-cost software classes.

Financial Aid for Parents of College Bound Students

If you find yourself a little anxious about how to pay for your child's college education, you may find relief by attending this session. Financial aid experts will provide valuable aid application information in addition to responding to your specific questions about financing a college education. The free session will be from 11 a.m. - noon Jan. 31 in Room 210 of the Simplot-Micron Center.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

Most Boise State students rely on federal financial aid to offset the cost of attending college. Despite our best efforts, many students learn about satisfactory academic progress standards after they have lost their eligibility for federal financial aid. This session is especially important for faculty and staff members who provide academic advising or those who hire work-study students. If you understand the financial implications of withdrawing from classes, you can help students make more informed decisions. The free session will be from 11 a.m. - noon Feb. 13 in Room 210 of the Simplot-Micron Center.

CAMPUS CRIME REPORT

Weekly Crime Log

Boise City Police and Campus Security present the weekly crime report. read all about it

Melissa Jensen Assistant to the Director of TechHelp College of Business and Economics Melissa Jensen is the assistant to the director of TechHelp in the College of Business and Economics. During the nearly three years she has worked at Boise State, she also served as assistant to the associate dean in the College of Education. As assistant to TechHelp director Gary Thompson, Jensen processes invoices and payments; makes office and printing purchases; coordinates workshops, classes and board meetings and all related travel; writes newsletters and correspondence; and oversees a variety of office duties. TechHelp provides technical and professional assistance to Idaho manufacturers, food processors and innovators to strengthen their global competitiveness through product and process improvements. Project managers offer a full range of consulting services from offices in Boise, Post Falls, Pocatello and Twin Falls. The center is a partnership of Boise State, the University of Idaho and Idaho State University, and is Idaho’s Economic Development Administration University Center, targeting economically distressed areas of the state. Jensen is originally from Phoenix. She and her husband Scott – who works for Alexander Clark Printing – have three children, Dane, 20, Danika, 15, and Derik, 11. She enjoys camping, fishing, hiking, cooking, playing tennis, making scrapbooks and quilts, and playing in her yard and garden.

Sabine Klahr, director of International Programs, was elected to the executive committee of the Association for International Education Administrators (AIEA) for a three-year term. AIEA is a membership organization composed of institutional leaders engaged in advancing the international dimensions of higher education.

Stephanie Witt, director of the Social Science Research Center, was quoted in a Jan. 19 story on the center’s latest public policy survey, which was released Jan. 18. The story ran in media outlets across the state.

Cheryl Schrader, dean of the College of Engineering, was quoted in a Lewiston Tribune story on Idaho’s engineering schools. In the story, UI President Tim White noted that “When it comes to sports, we want to kick the beejeebers out of each other. But when it comes to academics, the really important thing is the collaboration between our institutions.”

Alan Virta, Albertsons Library archivist, and Todd Shallat, director of the Center for Idaho History and Politics, were quoted in a Jan. 23 Idaho Statesman story on Jesse Jackson’s remarks about Boise State’s 1950s football team. Both said that Boise State has a long history of including blacks on athletic teams, including Aurelius Buckner, who played on BJC’s football team in the 1940s.

Shallat was also quoted in Diane Ronayne's Jan. 21 Idaho Statesman column about the Center for Idaho History and Politics' new book, "Ethnic Landmarks." Shallat said the remnants of Boise's early ethnic citizens are in the buildings they left behind.

Janet Holmes, English professor and poet, was featured in a Jan. 23 Idaho Statesman story looking at her new book, "F2F," and the annual Sawtooth Poetry Prize contest.

other news sources:
The Idaho Statesman - The Idaho Press Tribune - The Boise Weekly - The Arbiter - Boise State Radio